Water-carousel.



No. 840.905. PATENTED JAN. 8, 1907.

W. D. BURKE.

WATER GAROUSEL.

APPLIGATION FILED APR.24.12)OG.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

iluo. 840,905. PATENTE-SD J'N. 8. i907. W. D. BURKE.

WATER CAROUSEL.

APPLIGMION FILED APR.24,1900.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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stares sannita WALTER D. BURKE, 0F ST. LOUlS, MlSSOUitl.

wnrsscssonsnr.

To all wifi/om tima/y concern:

Be it known that l, WALTER D. BURKE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident oi St. Louis, Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Water- Carousels, of which the following is a specificationcontaining a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention relates to a'water-carousel; and the object of my invention is to construct an Aamusernent apparatus wherein a number of boats are caused to traverse a circular path in a small artificial lagoon or tank.

'A further object of my invention` is to provide a water-carousel with means whereby waves are created on the surface of the water, so as to give the boats passing through said water a rocking motion. y

A Jiurther object of my invention is to arrange mechanism in a water-carousel for automatically moving the boats to and from the edge of the tank. orlagoon to allow the occupants of said boats to enter and depart trom said boats.`

' To the above pur oses my invention consiste of certain nove features of construction and arrangement of parts, which will be here inaifter more fully set forth, pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which;

figure 1 is a plan view of the water-carousel with the upper end of the centrally-arranged shaft in section. Fig. 2 `is a detail perspective ci a portion of the rotating cage of the carousel. and a portion of oneo the moving arms to which the boats are attached. Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken approximately on tlie line 3 3 oi Fig. l. Fig. 4 is an enlarged pian view, partly in section, oi oneof the Wave-creating devices made use of in my improved carousel. y

Referring by numerals to., the accompanying drawings, l designates. a tank or lagoon, preferably'circular, which is formed in the ground and which is partiallyfilled with wa ter. Located in the center of this tank and in approximate alinement with the top of the ground is a circular platform 2, and eXteiid-ly ing downwardly from the ed es thereof to lthe bottoni of the tank is a wai 3. Located in the ground beneath the platform 2 and in the center of the tanlrA i is a block 4, in the top side of which is formed a bearing 5, and arranged for rotation therein is the lower end ot a vertically-disposed shaft 6.' The upper Specification of Letters yatent. llpplicationl illed April 24,1906. Serial No. 313,506.

lower ends thereof and on top of the latented Jan. i3, 329W?.

end bf this shaft is journaled in a cap 7, te

which is fixed the inner ends of a series oi radiallyerranged guy-wires 8, the outer ends of which are ii'xed to posts (not shown) a suitable distance away from the tank i. Supported by the guy-wires 8 and covering the entire tank l .is a suitable canopy 9. Fixed on the shaft 6 a short vdistance below the cap 7 is a flange l0, and loosely mounted upon the vshaft 6 above this iange 1) is a dis-lill. Fixed upon the shaft 6 a suitable distance below the iiange 1() is a ring 12, and loosely mounted upon the shaft and supported. 'by this ring is a hub 13, to which is secured the inner ends of a series of radiallyerranged arms 14, the outer ends of which are connected by a large ring l5. Horizontally disposed immediately above the ring i5 is a ring 16, and extending from said ring 16 downwardly to the ring l5 at suitable dis tances apart are the pairs oi vertioelly-d-isposed rods l?, and loosely mounted. on the are the antiiiriction-rollers 32S.

it series of guy wires or rods i9 iiifsd to and extendirom. the ring i6 upwardly are fixed to the disk il. The hub i3, arms la, rings ,i5-and 1.6, and the rods i? 'term )what fi term a ca e and which is supported. by the ring i2 an is adapted to rotate inden pendent of the shaft 6'. Fixed upon the shaft 6 i'mmediatel above the hub 13 is a hub 20, and fixed t iereto are the inner ends of a series ci radially-arranged 'arms 221,4 vwhich arms are somewhat shorter than are the arms la, previously described. Pivotm ally mounted to the end of each. arm 2l inner end of a horizontally-disposed arm 22, which arm extends outwardly over the ring l 5 and between a corresponding pair ot' the/antiriction-1ollers 18. Each arm 22 extends or is bent downwardly, as indicated by 23, out side the ring 15, and the lower ends of all oi the arms 23 terminate just above the surface ofthe water in the tank 24 designates the boats, which traverse a circular path in the tank l?, and each boat is secured to the lower end ci one oi the arms 23 by means of a chain or cable 25.

Fixed in any suitable manner to the under sides oi the arms lei-'around the sliait is a largev ear-wheel 27. l5/leaning with. ns

gear-w eel 27 is a pinion 2S, which. is fixed on the up er end of a vertically-disposed shaft 29, and) which'shaft is driven by a' suitable motor located on the platform 2; A.. suitable IOO motoiy'such as 30, is located on the' platform) 2 and is so connected to the shaft 6 as to impart rotary motion thereto; Fixed upon the shaft 6 beneath the platform 2 is a cam 31,

and iu'lcrumed to the inside face ofl the wall 3 is a series of horizo tall -disposed levers 32, the inner ends nf carry antirictionrollers 33, which engage upon the edge oi the Iearn 31. These levers 32 are heldin position by suitably-arranged retractile coil-springs 34. The levers 32 extend outwardly throughy slots formed in the wall 3 and -are then eX- tended downwardly and thence horizontally in a plane slightly above the bottom of the tank 1.1 vLoosely mounted on the extended,

lowerends of the levers 32 are blades 35, and fixed on the levers 32 are lingers 36, which are arranged to prevent the blades from swinging rearwardly past a vertical position.

The operation of my improved carousel is as follows: By means-oi the motor rotary motion is imparted to the shaft 6, and the arms 21, carried by the hub 20, which is fixed to said shaft, will consequently rotate therewith. This action pulls the arms 22, which are fixed to the arms 21, inwardly overthe ring 15 and between the antifriction-rollers 18`unti1 the downwardly-extending arms 23 strike against the ring 15. Further, move- ,l ment ofthe arms 22 and ,23 is impossible, and

' as a result the cage will be rotated with the -to permit theoccupants of. the g the meter 3() is cnt olf, s as to cease driving A shaft 6 and the boats 24 will be pulled around in a circular path in the tank 1. As the shaft 6 rotates lthe {rojectionson the cam 31 4bear against the ro ers 33, carried by the levers 32, and as a result said levers are swung upon their pivotloints, and the blades will be` corresponr gly moved in the Water beneath the boats to a' itate and create waves upon the water. lhe blades 35nesume vertical positions in being moved forwardly through the water, and when returned to their normal positions by 'the ac-k tion of the retractile coil-springs 34 said blades will swing downwardly into horizontal planes, and thus travel through the/water 'with little resistance. 'The ring 15`of the cage is of such a size as that when the arms 22 and 23 are drawninwardl :to their limit of. ovement and the. carouse 1s 'in operation the: boats traverse apatli aproxrnately.v

midway between the circul'arp atforlnvZ vand the outer edge of the' tank orglagocn 1. When it is desired'tostcp the carousel and bri the boats againstft outer edg yofthe-ta oats to land,

,the Shaft 6, and as thecarousel radually slows down thesnotordriving the s aft 29 is startedgs'o as 'to cause the pinion 2S to drivethegear-wheel 27, and thus drive the entire nagaat a higher rate of speed than the shaft 6 Yand arms 21 are, traveling. ,This action moves the arms 23. and the outer portions of the arms 22 forwardly, and .inally swings said tially as speci ed. 2. In a Water-carousel, a tank, s, verticallyarms 22 into positions in direct alinement with the arms 21 during which movement said arms 22-gradually move outwardly be-4 tween the antiriction-rollers 18. (See dotted lines in Fig. 1.) The boats are nov/sT traversing a path immediately adjacent the outer l edge of the tank 1, and when the carousel ceases to rotate the passengers can readily land' from said boats.

A carousel of my improved lconstruction com rises aminimum number 'of parts, can

easi y be set up for operation, can be operated at a minimum cost and automatically moves the boats to and ilrom the edge of the tank to facilitate loadingand unloading.

I claim- 1. In a water-carousel, a tank, a verticallydisposed shaft inthe center thereof, means whereby said shaft is driven, a cage supported by 'said shaft, a series of radially-arranged arms ixed onthe shaft, and a series of boat-carrying' arms pivotally connected t0 they outer ends of the radially-arranged arms and extendin through Athe cage; substandisposed 'shaft in the'. center thereof, means whereby said shaftpis drivema Gage sup` ported by said shaft, a. seriesfof radially-arranged arms lxed on theushaft, ja seriesvof boat-carryingv arms pivotally connected to the outer ends ofthe radially-arranged arms and extending through the cage, and boats attached to the lower,` ends of said beat-carrying arms and which travel inthe tank; su stantially as specified. .p y 3.- In a water-caroeehra tank, a verticallydisposed shaft the'center thereof, meanswhereby said shaft is driven, a cage'supported by said shaft, a series of radially-arranged arms iixed4 onr th'e shaft, a series of boat-carrying amis pivotally connectedto boat-carrying arms 'pivotally to the outer ends. of the radially-'arranged arms,

a support for said boat-carrying.' arms, e' d means whereby said support is; d` in'l egi'clent of the shaft su stantiallylasfspeciand actuated by the rota-Y.

IIO

vadjacent the upper cndJthereot aseries of l In .testimonywhereoff ,have signed myVA v subscribing ,WtDQSSS-j.

' waaraan.' BURKE.

Witnesses: i

M. P; Stimmt E. L.' Wetmore..

name to this..specictaionlm'presence ot'wo, 

